Ok, so I made a new layout.

What can I say?

I wanted something with vibrant colors. I was leaning towards reds and violets but then ended up with yellows and oranges and reds.

I couldn't resist. I had this itch in me to make a new layout. How on earth could I ever deny myself that? Especially when I took my time and worked on it for a few days instead of a couple of hours?

I had been playing around in Photoshop and searching the internet for ideas and images for a couple of weeks now. I tried to push away the urge to make a new layout. I tried to tell myself I needed something specific in order to make the new layout so that it wouldn't be possible and, in frustration, I'd stop trying. That almost worked.

But it only worked for a few days. I believe I got the female vector image from DeviantArt, but I am honestly not sure. I download brushes and fonts all the time and lately, unless they have something in there stating where it's from or who it's by - I won't remember where I got it from.

Anyway. I hope everyone likes it. Let me know if there are any issues. I know there are some old graphics hanging around but I can't find them. Aggravates the hell out of me that they are there and I can't figure out where they are exactly. Eventually I will get them out of there.

Other than this I got half the kitchen cleaned. I am so happy. Laters.

I want to be mean. I know it's wrong of me to be mean, but what if someone is mean or rude (or whatever form of mean) to me first? I don't call people and say 'Who's This?' like I'm from the Inquisition or anything. If I call someone and I don't know who answered the phone I state "This is Chelle, I'm calling for so and so do I have the right number?" and if they say "No." I thank them and hang up.

The numbers we have are new to us, still barely a month old, and being as the place was a no-contract business they hand out numbers like candy. So obviously we have both been getting phone calls and text messages from people who are expecting others to answer. I don't appreciate being asked "Who's This" when someone calls me on a number that I was given (ok ok so I said YES give me that number when they told me what it was).

Anyway, I think when a woman calls me (because we all know how us females can be when a woman answers the phone and they are possibly calling a man) and says "Who's This" as if they are going to shove their hand through the phone and bitchslap me I'm going to say "The Other Woman" and hang up.

I'm sure I'll start a huge rash of divorces, but who cares. Who taught these people manners? I learned mine by practicing them often. And I'm tired of the "You called me, who are you?" and then they text message me because they don't believe they have the wrong number.

I am so sorry! I have to apologize to everyone east of us. I have been so sick of rain and overcast skies that I prayed and hoped and threatened - one of these things worked, no clue as to which - and finally received sunny skies. It was still COLD to me, but apparently when I sent the rain away others got ice, snow, and rain.

My friend WichiDude apparently got covered in ice while others are going to be receiving tons of snow. I normally love rain, but weeks on end is still a bit much for me. It's almost as bad as being in Ohio during weeks upon weeks of snowstorms.

Seriously though, 3 weeks of overcast skies and downpours of rain is a bit much, even for me who loves rain. I prefer thunderstorms. I want THUNDER and LIGHTNING not just boring old rain. I don't even care for rain that is slanted three different directions. And I really don't care for howling wind, either! At least the howling wind isn't as bad here as it was in Ohio.

So to those of you who are east of me, I sincerely apologize for the tons of snow and ice you are about to receive. I take the blame and you may have me beaten. Until then, laters.

Yay, I get to write a 3 - 5 page report on Symmetric Cryptography. It's due next week before the end of school on Wednesday. I've already began my research online but not writing. I am planning to look up information at the local library (online first so I don't waste a trip) to see if there are any recent books on the topic that I can look at for free.

I never thought I was ever any good at writing papers. I don't get completely technical, however I do use the terms needed in order to do the assignment. So far my professor has not had any issues with my writing, which is quite helpful. I think he likes the fact that I write as if I'm trying to explain something to him. It makes it quick to read and easier to grade.

I got a 7 out of 7 on the quiz after some extensive reading and re-taking. We are allowed to repeat the quiz if necessary to get a better grade. I got a 7/7 on the first try on the last one, but I was able to find the answers easily. The ones for this quiz were a bit out of my range and I couldn't find the answers in the book or in the online reading for a couple of the questions so I had to look online and that didn't help much either. But I did it, I got a 7/7 and I am happy.

I start my other two classes next Thursday and those are Web Development 2 and Sophomore Digital Portfolio. Should be interesting. We are supposed to learn more PHP and go over ASP (Active Server Pages) in Web Development 2. Notice I used the words 'go over'. You don't really learn anything in these classes, I swear. If you ever decide to use the Art Institute Online Division, do not take the diploma/certificate program. Instead go for the Associates or Bachelor programs, you'll actually learn something. I swear it.

I wish I had taken the Associates when I signed up but I didn't want to, I was stupid, but at least I am getting some form of education through this process. Hopefully people will heed my words. I can understand taking the diploma program if it's all they offer for what you are looking to go into, but I can't see taking a diploma program for something you want to do for a living. I'll not make that mistake again.

I'm tired of blacklisting the 500 junk emails I get at chelle(at)sweetly-evil (dot) org so I've deleted the email address and created a new one. You can reach me at disillusioned(at)sweetly-evil(dot)org if you really want to, or even better, leave a comment! Then you get a link back to your website.

I also had to junk about 70 or so comments today as well. Someone apparently loves my post regarding my papsmear and decided I must need viagra. Erhm? If I can have a papsmear, how on earth do *I* need viagra?

Anyway, comments are still open and heavily moderated. Meaning you'll have to wait (sometimes a few hours) for comments to be approved. I don't wish to subject my readers to pills, porn and gambling ads in the comments. I'm sure you don't either.

See you again soon.

Please note that this post originated on January 24th, 2007 and in order to keep it at the top I have edited the authored on date.

Family inside didn’t know home was on fire

By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com Star Beacon

— GENEVA — Jeff and Tiffani Foss were playing with their 5-year-old daughter, Angelena, Monday afternoon when they heard an urgent knock at the front door.

“My neighbor said, ‘Your house is on fire! There is smoke out here,’” Jeff Foss said. “We had no idea. There was no smell inside and the smoke detectors never rang.”
Smoke poured from the gable of the house at 729 Eastlawn St., even as Foss emptied two fire extinguishers into the wall of the upstairs bedroom.

“My neighbor brought a third fire extinguisher and we used it. The firefighters got here just as it ran out,” Jeff Foss said. “We ran for the door and all we thought about was the (pets).”

The Fosses son, John, will turn 2 this week. He was not home at the time of the fire.
“I ran to my son’s bedroom and all I could see was a hole where the outlet should have been. I guess we didn’t smell the smoke because it was all blowing out the gable,” he said.

The Fosses grabbed Angelena and their pets and stood in the driveway as firefighters broke windows and carefully climbed the ladder truck extension to ventilate the roof. Smoke poured from the attic vent and seeped out of the window frames as flames shot from the roof point.

“I just can’t believe this. Everything is ruined,” Tiffani Foss said. “This is unbelievable.”

No one was injured in the fire and the Geneva Fire Department received mutual aid from Saybrook and Harpersfield township fire departments with medical assistance by Northwest Ambulance District.

Firefighter Dale Arkenburg said the fire originated in the chimney where the Fosses had a fire going.

“This fire spread fast. We arrived to a working fire from a bedroom wall to the attic and all the spaces in between,” Arkenburg said. “We had to break through walls and the ceiling and the roof to get to the flames. Fire and smoke damage was extensive in three rooms and there was water damage throughout.”

Arkenburg said the house is a total loss and estimates damages at $100,000.

“There were a lot of salvageable belongings,” Arkenburg said. “But in interior of the house is a mess.”

During the fire, neighbors surrounded Jeff and Tiffani Foss, bringing a blanket for Tiffani and embracing her in strong hugs as she stood in the snow.

“We don’t know what happens next, but we have homeowner’s insurance and we have family for support,” Jeff Foss said. “This isn’t what you expect out of a quiet day at home. This isn’t what you expect out of any day.”

Copyright © 1999-2006 cnhi, inc.

My best friend was babysitting at the time of the fire for their little boy, John. What if she hadn't been? What if he'd been laying down for nap in his bedroom where smoke was billowing and fire was eating at the wall? When it comes to a chimney fire, you aren't always this lucky. Their neighbor saw the smoke and was able to alert them. If their neighbor hadn't been home this could have ended up so much worse than it already has, but this family still needs your help.

The original article can be found here: http://www.starbeacon.com/archivesearch/local_story_021233012.html

If you are in a position to assist in any way, please visit a nearby Key Bank and ask to donate to the Foss Fire Fund. Any assistance, no matter what form, is always welcome.

If you are able to donate clothing items, they currently need clothing for a little girl the age of 4 in the sizes 5T for clothing and shoe size 12 and this can be dropped off or sent to the Light Touch Flower Shop at 220 East Main St; Geneva, OH 44041, if you wish to call ahead please ask for Darlene (my best friends' mom) at 440.466.0800.

I wish to thank each of you now for the help you provide to anyone who is in need. It takes a lot of love to help people and I know there are many of you out there.

So the Little Lady and I will be heading to Alabama here either tomorrow or the next day. My mother has passed away, completely unexpectedly and so we will be going to see her to say goodbye and visit with my sister and her family for a few days to get everything we can under control.

So the Little Lady and I head out at a little before 4 Am. We take our first flight at 720 to Charlotte and then the next flight to Birmingham to arrive at around 430pm CST. We will be gone for 9 days and 8 nights, returning on the 21st.

Between family and school I do not know how often I'll be available online. I am off now to finish packing, which includes the laptop.

So the Lttle Lady and I are in Alabama until the 21st and so far things have been going pretty good. No vehicles have broken down, no one has gotten seriously hurt and we even got to have a good time last night. We said our goodbyes to mom and then said our goodbyes to our Aunt and Uncle from Oklahoma as they headed back home. So far things have gone quite well out here. The weather has improved from the 'balmy 34 degrees' that the pilot told us when we arrived.

We made the decision that we are going to split mom up, I know that sounds off, but really just listen and you'll understand. I am going to take some of her ashes back to California with me and let her go in the ocean, my sister is going to spread a little of her in her backyard and the rest is going to go to Ohio and be buried next to dad in a year or two when we can afford to go. We know she's no longer residing in her body any longer but it seems the right thing to do. Mom never had anything against cremation and eventually wanted to be.

All right well I am off for now. I need to check in with school. Laters.

Why is it that when I want my books 'right now' I can't have them right now? The one book I ordered I was able to expedite it but it's still 'on its way from Chicago' according to FedEx. The other one hasn't even been sent yet because they didn't have an 'expedite' option. I think I am going to only order from sellers on Amazon who have 'expedite' in their listing. Better yet, overnight!

And then when you say Overnight it still takes THREE DAYS if you order on a friday because Saturday is a special delivery day and you have to pay an arm, leg and kidney to get it on that day. I know people need days off and weekends are the best days for having time off but with the way the economy is right now perhaps we need to rethink a few things? I'd be THRILLED to work.

So I am still in Alabama and my sister and I are going to go through boxes starting tomorrow. I have an assignment due today and it has to be a proposal on a quiz show or a shopping cart. I am going to do a shopping cart and perhaps for the hell of it I'll sell blog layouts. What do you think? Obviously it's not going to be a real shopping cart and I won't really be selling anything but that doesn't mean I couldn't in the future, right?

Alright well I am going to check in to class. I hope my books get home before I do so that I can USE them when I get there! Laters.

So we left Alabama on the 21st and didn't walk in the door until the 22nd. Yes, you read that right. It was a very long and exhausting trip home. There weren't any issues with the flight to Charlotte (there aren't any direct flights to Birmingham) and we got there early enough to get to our gate and sit and relax for a bit before getting on the plane. The flight to Charlotte was short and sweet, not quite an hour. Then the fun began.

First we had a 3 hour layover in Chartlotte, 3 hours and 11 minutes if you want to be exact. The Little Lady and I were fine with this though. We had time to get some hot dogs to eat and then we had some TCBY as well. Then we waited and she read while I crocheted. (For those who crochet and knit, make sure you have plastic needles, they are horrible to use but they'll be allowed though security.) There were a ton of people in the gate area. There were several gates utilizing one huge space so they weren't even really separated, you just wanted to sit as close as you could to your gate.

Then the announcement comes around an hour before we are supposed to be boarding the fight. Original boarding time was 530, take off at 6, Eastern. Due to the weather in San Francisco, we were being delayed. The were rain showers and the wind was blowing the wrong way. When that happens they can only land one plane an hour because they only have one runray going the right way and I believe I was told it is used for both landing and taking off.

We didn't get to board the plane until about 720 Eastern time. I know that's less than two hours from the original boarding time, but then we were delayed again when we were on the plane. The pilot made a lot of noise using only one engine as he taxied down the runway, which he explained to us so no one would freak out. Luckily the Little Lady and I were on the opposite side of the plane.

We finally took off a little after 9. We arrived at the San Francisco airport at about 1125 Pacific time. That gave us enough time to get our luggage and wait for the Airporter bus to take us to Sonoma County Airport. No, we weren't flying again, it's about 10-15 minutes away from home and it's the easiest place to be picked up since it's so close.

We walked in the door, after the two hour trip on the airporter bus, at about 245am Pacific time. So we had almost been up for 24 hours. We were both hungry because we hadn't eaten since Charlotte and Honey was sweet enough to put food on before he came to pick us up. We had roast and baked potatoes, which I couldn't finish possibly due to being so exhausted, and then went to bed around 3 am.

Then I spent the day sick. I believe the exhaustion, jet lag, airsickness and who knows what bugs the kids had been carrying caught up with me. I didn't eat anything except a few crackers and drank a little tea, which gave me something in my stomach so I could be sick. I finally felt as if it were scraped clean, took two Motrin and once the headache went away I slept.

I spent Saturday and Sunday making up homework. I have been doing homework for the last two days as well. I am getting an A and B in my classes. I will be bringing that B up to an A if it kills me. I have filed my graduation papers and they are supposed to call me at some point for an exit interview.

I also did four or five loads of laundry the past two days and I've been trying to get the house clean, it's hard when you have been doing homework from 930 to 6. I can do laundry and homework but housecleaning and homework don't mix very well. I tend to get sidetracked.

Ok, I am off to make a list of things to get at the grocery store. Woohoo!

I still haven't received the book for my digital portfolio class! I ordered it the day before the Little Lady and I left for Alabama. I will never order from a seller that only offers standard shipping on Amazon again. Apparently I can't complain if I don't receive it by March 5th! My classes are done on March 22nd! What good is the book going to do me after March 5th? I can't even cancel the order because there isn't a button to do so! I am absolutely furious.

I really want the book. I'd reorder it and overnight it but I don't have a million dollars to do that. Food and necessities come first. If it doesn't get here by March 5th so that I can make use of it then the seller is going to get an earful. The seller's name, so that everyone knows, it's fantastic_shopping. I think their selling name is quite misleading, don't you? According to my order page it says that the estimated shipping is from the 13th - 14th. It was ordered on the 12th. It is now the 27th. The least they could have done was sent it. If it were lost in the mail that would be a different story entirely, but I haven't received any email for shipping and tracking information.

I have a feeling I won't be getting this book.